It was a bit of a mixed bag for Detroit Lions fans when Dan Campbell addressed the media on Monday. Following a 20-6 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday that elevated the Lions to a 5-1 record, tied for best in the NFL, Campbell played a classic game of Good News, Bad News related to the injury statuses of two of his most dynamic offensive weapons. As always, we start with the Bad News.

The Bad News

It looks like David Montgomery will miss a decent amount of time with a rib cartilage issue, according to Detroit Lions senior beat writer Tim Twentyman. Montgomery came to Detroit after four consistent but unspectacular seasons in Chicago. Montgomery was on pace to have the best season of his young career. In six games with the Lions, Monty is averaging a career best 77 yards on the ground per game, and his six rushing touchdowns are only two off his best single season mark.

The Good News

Although Montgomery may be sidelined for the foreseeable future, Dan Campbell suggested that rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs was likely to make his return to the Lions when Detroit plays Baltimore in Week 7, per Tim Twentyman on Twitter. Despite signing Montgomery this past offseason, the Lions used the 12th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to select Gibbs, a dynamic back out of the University of Alabama. Gibbs has averaged over four-and-a-half yards per carry, and is fourth on the Lions with 14 receptions, despite missing two games already this season with a hamstring injury.

An additional bit of good news for the Lions … there are weapons aplenty in Detroit right now, enough so that the Lions should be able to withstand the absence of David Montgomery. Jared Goff is playing arguably the best football of his career. Amon-Ra St. Brown has already topped the 100-yard mark in three games this season. Sam LaPorta looks like the best rookie tight end in the league. And Craig Reynolds is out there throwing blocks that are sending defenders into another dimension.